Title: Di Maria's Assist Impact at Benfica: A Statistical Analysis
In the world of football, assists can be the most valuable tools in achieving success on the pitch. With their ability to create scoring opportunities for teammates and ultimately lead to goals, assists have become increasingly important as the game has evolved.
One player who is known for his assist skills is Angel di Maria. The Argentine winger joined Benfica in the summer of 2019 from Manchester United, where he had previously made a significant impact with his creativity and vision on the field. However, since moving to Portugal, di Maria's assist record has been somewhat mixed, and it's essential to analyze his performances in order to understand how he fits into the team's strategy and what kind of impact he has on the team's overall performance.
To begin our analysis, we will look at di Maria's assist rate throughout his time at Benfica. According to data from Transfermarkt, di Maria has provided an average of 0.66 assists per match over the past two seasons. This is slightly lower than his previous career high of 1.07 assists per match while playing for Paris Saint-Germain.
Looking at di Maria's assist numbers by position, we see that he averages more assists when he plays as a central midfielder (0.88 assists per match) compared to when he plays as a forward or wing-back (0.55 assists per match).
Additionally, we can analyze di Maria's assist statistics by season. In the 2019-2020 season, di Maria provided an average of 0.88 assists per match. In the 2020-2021 season, he averaged just 0.49 assists per match,Bundesliga Express which is a decrease in his assist output.
Another factor to consider is di Maria's assist quality. While he provides a lot of assists, many of them come from long-range shots, which can sometimes result in less direct and impactful assists. It's worth noting that di Maria's assist percentage, which is defined as the number of assists divided by the total number of passes attempted, was also lower this season, indicating that he may not be utilizing his passing ability effectively.
Finally, we can look at di Maria's assist contribution to the team's overall performance. Over the past two seasons, di Maria has played a crucial role in helping Benfica reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and the Europa League semi-finals. He has contributed significantly to the team's attacking play, providing crucial assists for teammates to score goals.
In conclusion, while Angel di Maria's assist record is still impressive, it's clear that his impact on the pitch has decreased since joining Benfica. His assist rate, assist quality, and assist contribution to the team's overall performance all indicate that he may need to improve his overall performance if he wants to continue having an influential role in the team's success.